The Bond
by TheLastNumberOfPi
Summary: Mephisto Pheles and Kirigakure Shura are constant and bitter rivals. But magic doesn't make allowances for personal grudges, and when the feuding pair find themselves in a sticky situation they have two options. Cooperate or die. MephistoxShura Mature scenes in later chapters. Minor other pairing.
1. Chapter 1

My latest attempt at a multichap fic! Mephisto x Shura. Hope you enjoyed and let me know what you thought!

* * *

**The Bond **

Mephisto Pheles and Kirigakure Shura are constant and bitter rivals. But magic doesn't make allowances for personal grudges, and when the feuding pair find themselves in a sticky situation they have two options. Cooperate or die.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The Japanese Branch of the True Cross was a hive of activity. People swarmed in and out of True Cross Academy in a humming frenzy. The air thrummed with frantic whispers.  
_Have you heard?  
Someone has found Pandora's Box! _  
The atmosphere was half excitement and half fear. After all, Pandora's Box had been forged by Satan himself. No one was eager to mess with one of his creations. The memories of the Blue Night still haunted people; even exorcists who had been born after the horror had passed. And Pandora's Box was special.

A group of young exwires looked down at the throng of exorcists by the main gates of the Academy. Shura had herded them upstairs and away from the action. Then she had threatened them, and Rin had the strangest feeling it was directed at him.  
_"If I catch one of ya down there I will cut yer legs off and make ya eat them!"_  
So now the crew had to satisfy themselves with what they could see from the window and what Rin's sharp ears could pick up. The young exwire was so excited that his face was smushed up against the glass.  
"Oy! What the hell is Pandora's Box! What's going on?!"  
It had taken Bon and Konekomaru a long time to explain it.  
If the vague fragments of myth and rumour could be believed, and no one was sure they could, Pandora's Box was a well of extraordinary demonic power. The Box's origins were shrouded in mist, and there were many different versions, some of which conflicted. But as far as anyone could tell, the Box had been forged during the times when war wracked Feudal Japan. Demons had delighted in the brutality of battle. They danced among the dead and drank the blood of the dying. In the chaos they were their strongest, and they took the opportunity to wage their own war against the fledging Japanese Branch of the True Cross. Fear and hatred reigned supreme in the war-torn Japan, and the demons found no shortage of easy hosts to possess. Darkness stalked the land. Powerful demons fucked and slaughtered anyone they could get their hands on, not necessarily in that order, and fear was king. But the new exorcists were strong. The new branch didn't fall and more and more reinforcements arrived. Exorcists from Italy, Russia, Ireland, all over the world, came together to beat back the hordes of darkness. Satan took a keen interest in the proceedings. To him all land was his, all people were his, and this war was to take his rightful possessions. One day Satan summoned his right hand man, his most trusted general and gave him a gift. Satan took part of his power and placed it in a magic box. Whoever opened it would have Satan's strength for a short time. For a day it would seem as if Satan himself walked the earth. Well pleased, the General thanked Satan and promised to destroy the exorcists. But disaster fell. As the General entered Assiah he was ambushed by the very exorcists he had sworn to destroy. Mortally wounded, the General couldn't use Satan's power, but he was still determined to keep the Box from the exorcists. He threw the Box into a nearby river where it was carried deep underground and was lost to humanity. Until now.

Down in the front yard the air thrummed with tension. Shura shifted uneasily, wound up tight with nerves. She couldn't help worry that that moron Rin would come charging down to see what was happening. There were too many exorcists here, he'd be slaughtered. Her eyes landed on Mephisto who was standing at the front of the crowd. Her lip curled at the sight. Shura always kept an eye on Mephisto, there was something about him that put her teeth on edge. He was standing with his back to the crowd, running his hands through the air. The barrier rippled as the demon altered some parameters and the effect was eerie, adding to the tension of the afternoon. All at once the hum of panicky conversation died to nothing. They had arrived. The immense front gates of the True Cross Academy slowly opened with a mighty clang. The Box had to be held until it could be examined by the Vatican elite. Most people hoped that it was a fake and that such an atrocious power wasn't loose on the world. The Academy had been chosen to hold the Box until morning, when the Vatican could arrive, thanks to the strength of the barriers that surrounded the place. Even though the demon principle inspired nothing but distrust from the other exorcists, no one could deny the power that protected the school. The barriers were unrivaled in all of Japan. And no risks could be taken with Pandora's Box.

A group of fierce exorcists marched through the main entrance in a tight square, protecting a chest that was almost comically small. Mephisto gave the serious looking crew a lazy smile, seeming as amused as ever by the situation.  
"How nice to see you all."  
His sharp little smile gave the impression that it wasn't that nice at all.  
"If you could all take the unholy abomination through. Kirigakure Shura will show you the way to the secure holding facility."  
Once the exorcists were through Mephisto turned his back on them, focusing on stitching the barrier back together again and making it stronger than ever. Already the air outside the academy was thick with coal tar. He felt a shiver run down his spine to the tip of his tail. This was the real deal.

The guards looked around uncertainly for a moment after the demon so abruptly dismissed them, but a fierce redhead quickly stepped forward.  
"A'right! Step-up! The facility is this way, and if anyone drops the damn thing I'll eat ya!"  
Shura spun on her heel. A military sergeant couldn't have made a sharper turn. Obviously the stress was getting to her. Shura ignored a nasty chuckle from the demon behind her, clearly not as focused on his task as he pretended to be. The other exorcists ignored him as well, though a couple of the younger ones flinched. They hadn't been to the Academy before and the stress of Pandora's Box was making them trigger happy. Especially around a Demon King. Even one who promised he was tame. Shura marched down one of the many dark hallways of the academy and the guards followed close behind her, Pandora's Box protected at all times by the living wall of exorcists. The ceiling arched high overhead. Gloom blurred the features of the place, darkness hung like a veil of cobwebs. This was another of the Academy's defences from the hordes of evil, its labyrinth design. Even if a demon breached the barrier, Pandora's Box would be nearly impossible to find. Shura stopped in front of a thick metal door that stood open. It was just possible to see a stand in the brooding room beyond. The containment area just screamed, 'don't even think about it.' Shura handed over a large golden key.  
"This is the only one."  
The redhead watched as the elected leader of the guards took the key, then gingerly picked up the chest, like he was handling a nuclear bomb.  
"Get set-up! Settle in for an all night watch! I'm going to check the perimeter." Shura barked.  
The leader turned to thank her, but the woman was already gone.

* * *

The corridors were pitch black. Night had fallen and the pin-prick starlight did nothing but add dimension to the darkness. The figure was unperturbed. They glided along the cool hallway like a ghost. The dark seemed to shiver as they passed, and the air seemed colder and more sinister when they were gone. The figure finally stopped in front of the containment area. Emerald eyes flashed with amusement as the figure saw the guards all frozen comically in position. The leader was stuck in mid-yawn, and the figure had to suppress a chuckle as they delicately plucked the golden key from under the guard's nose. The figure unlocked the heavy door with a gentle click before they returned the key and slipped through to the containment area. The door shut behind them with a soft thump. With the grace of a panther the figure stalked towards the chest. They pulled a replica from nowhere and, with a flourish and a quick swap, the Box was theirs. Their eyes sparkled with greed as they unfastened the clasps of the chest. The figure pulled out a small box with the care of a mother with their newborn child. The Box was made of gold. Hideous carvings scarred the lustrous surface and in the dim light of the containment unit the monsters seemed to move. The figure put the chest aside and examined the Box carefully, slim fingers tracing the grotesque lines. Crunch! Out of nowhere a hand appeared and clamped a vice-like grip around the box.  
"I knew ya'd come for it, _traitor._"  
Mephisto's eyes blazed with green fury.  
"I warned you to keep out of my way, _beautiful._"  
Neither noticed the blood that started to seep from their palms that were clenched around the box. The thick, dark blood filled the carvings and, before Mephisto could finish reaching for Shura's slim throat, blue light exploded out of the Box.

_Ahahahaha! _  
Satan's face hung like a moon in the dark room. He still looked like Fujimoto, eyes and nose running with thick streams of blood. Mephisto felt Shura beside him, shivering with fear, and pain, and fury.  
_My prodigal son! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist this prize._  
His voice was like the screech of failing train brakes and as Satan's suspended face leered down at them even Mephisto felt himself quail. The King of Gehenna's presence was like a physical weight, even though he was just an apparition.  
_Daddy has got to punish you for being so cruel and running away from home. Ahahaha. I'd take my time, but there isn't enough power in the Box to keep me here long.  
_Satan's face lit up as an idea seemed to hit him. There was a sound of fingers clicking and a thick rope of purple light snapped into existence, wrapping tightly around one of Mephisto's and one of Shura's wrists. _  
Ahahaha! Have fun being bonded to this filthy exorcist.  
_Satan leered at Shura and the sight of her mentor's face so distorted made her feel physically ill. The force of his presence made her legs weak and terror made her head spin.  
_If you two go more than….  
_The demon paused dramatically, as if he was thinking. He was clearly savouring their fear.  
_…10 metres apart, and that includes different planes, Samael, then you'll die! Ahahaaa. And if she dies, you die. If you die, she dies.  
_Satan obviously found something funny in the horrified look on Mephisto's face and he screeched with laughter. _  
But I'm not a cruel Papa, there's a way to break the bond… I'm not telling though! Come visit your dear Papa soon, Samael.  
_The apparition winked out of existence, and the air seemed to go with him.

It could have been seconds or it could have been hours later when Shura came too, and she was horrified to feel a rage that was not her own brushing against her mind. She shied away from the contact even as the demon in question grabbed her by the arm, hard enough to leave a mark.  
"You nosy, interfering, _witch._" Mephisto hissed. "I'm going to _kill you._"  
Shura could feel his intent like a bruise against her conscious. But before she could deck him, Shura heard a shout of alarm from outside.  
"I heard something in there!"  
The guards! A key rattled in the lock, they obviously didn't realise it was already open. Mephisto seized those few seconds and held them tight. He took a deep breath and composed himself. One hand clamped around Shura's arm and one hand clamped around the few slippery seconds they had left, Mephisto steered the unruly exorcist out of the door that had just started to swing open. Shura felt a shudder of horror as she saw the guards frozen in place as they had started running towards them. It was like a scene from a nightmare. She trembled. Satan had called him Samael.  
_The King of Time.  
_Shura had known he was royalty, but she hadn't dreamed that he was so strong. Mephisto didn't let up the pace as he dragged her down the corridor and away from the scene of the crime. Once they had rounded the corner Mephisto released his hold on time with an audible sigh of relief and fixed Shura with a glare that was all fangs.  
"You have ruined _everything, _my lady."

* * *

**Short intro chapter, but I hoped you liked it! Any thoughts, advice, etc? Let me know! **


	2. Chapter 2

Even more trouble for our hapless duo! Enjoy! _Mega _thanks to Kagehime3 for betaing this chapter for me. You the bomb!

* * *

**Chapter 2 **

Mephisto didn't loosen his grip on Shura's upper arm even once on the way back to his lush apartment. As he half dragged, half led Shura along the still dark corridors, the exorcist could see him visibly pulling together his mask of a 'gentledemon'. By the time they had reached Mephisto's lush apartment at the top of True Cross Academy, Shura resembled a lady being escorted by her charming suitor, rather than a woman involved in a rather violent kidnapping. Shura was relieved by the change. She knew how to deal with Mephisto when he was acting like an obnoxious child. The strange man with the sharp teeth and the rage like storm clouds in her mind had scared her, though she'd rather die than let him know. He may claim to be tame, but you could never trust a demon. Shura knew that if he smelt weakness he would devour her. As the adrenaline drained from her system, and as Mephisto carefully put together the pieces of his shattered veneer, Shura's awareness of his emotions faded. That was also a relief. Being able to feel him like an extension of her own body made her feel slimy on the inside. Shura couldn't _stand _him.

The odd pair finally stopped in front of the lavish doors to Mephisto's apartment. The demon snapped his fingers and the doors swung open, totally silent in the gloom. The effect was eerie. Shura had had enough. The exorcist was having an extremely bad night, and being dragged around like an unruly pet put her in a filthy mood.  
"Let go of me!" She snarled.  
Mephisto gave her a charming smile that she sensed really wanted to be a sneer.  
"My lady, as lovely as you are, I'm not keeping you close for fun."  
The lovely lady's palms tingled with the desire to slap that stupid face.  
"As if I'd run." She growled. "I heard what yer damn _pops _said."  
"You'd run because you're angry, and you're stupid when you're angry." Mephisto didn't even bother to look at her. "You might even run out of some noble, kamikaze-style attempt to take me out. Though I don't have you pegged as the martyr type."  
The pressure on her arm didn't lessen as Mephisto strode around his luxurious apartment, dragging her unceremoniously behind him. Candles spluttered into life as he passed, and only Shura's curiosity tempered her desire to take his whole damn arm off. However, even a floor to ceiling pile of moe plushies couldn't distract from the sensation of cold, metal snapping around the wrist.

There was a long silence.  
"What are you doing?" Shura eventually said.  
She seemed remarkably calm, but she had simply moved from spitting angry to the stillness of a deep and visceral rage as she surveyed the handcuffs attaching her to her most hated of petty enemies. Mephisto seemed almost apologetic.  
"You're quite right, my lady. This won't do at all, how rude of me."  
The demon snapped his fingers and in an explosion of smoke the handcuffs sprouted a shock of pink fluff that protected both of their wrists from the harsh edge of metal. A vein began to throb in Shura's forehead. The source of her anger ignored her and studied their bond with pursed lips and snapped his fingers again. The handcuffs faded from sight, but Shura could still feel the weight of her restraint heavy on her wrist. She went, as Rin would put it, totally fucking mental.

* * *

Green eyes narrowed at the red headed exorcist who had him so unceremoniously pinned to the floor. His suit was rumpled, and his hand was being twisted in a rather painful way. Quite frankly Mephisto was impressed.  
"Where _do _you hide those things?"  
The dagger in question was pressed worryingly hard against his throat, and pressed a little harder at the unsubtle dig at Shura's outfit. Nevertheless the night was starting to look up. Mephisto had never bothered to deny that he found Shura attractive. What he was more careful to hide was that he saw her in much the same light as the fire nymphs that swam in the bowels of volcanoes. They were so beautiful when they moved through the great lava lakes, that you couldn't help but get close… and that's when they blew up in your face. And then there was the pain, and the burning, and the unfortunate amount of death, but you just couldn't forget the sight of them. Mephisto didn't particularly _like _the exorcist. Shura was a massive pain in the neck, but she was beautiful. And demons were magpies. He couldn't resist needling her and watching the ensuing eruption.

His thoughts were rather rudely interrupted by the sensation of thunderclouds on the edge of his mind. He could taste Shura's fury on his tongue and feel her rage simmer in his blood. Wow, she was _really _bad at controlling her emotions. He refrained from mentioning this because Shura would literally try to slit his throat.  
"Get this thing off. _Now._"  
Mephisto took a long moment to enjoy the view, going so far as to shift his hips slightly under her, before resigning himself to a proper discussion. He knew that Shura was a tough cookie, and if he didn't convince her that the restraints were necessary she would hack her own hand off to escape him.  
"If you could get off me we could discuss this like adults…"  
The dagger didn't so much as twitch.  
"Or this is fine." Mephisto struggled not to sneer. Exorcists were so _touchy._  
"Miss Shura. If we are to survive this, we will have to co-operate."  
Shura still didn't move, but she also didn't try to stab him in the face, which Mephisto took as a good sign.  
"The restraints are just a precaution. I wouldn't put it past Satan to round up how far apart we can go and it's easy to stray by accident. My lady, I will have tea sent up and we can have a civil discussion about how we will triumph."

* * *

Shura hated to admit it, but the bastard had a point. She wasn't going to let this go without exploring all the possibilities though.  
"Why shouldn't I hand yer sorry ass to the Vatican tomorrow morning. Now there's proof that yer a power-grabbing traitor. They could break this damn curse and then put your head on a pike before the evening's out."  
That seemed to annoy him. Shura smirked when the demon let slip a twinge of irritation that she felt faintly. It was nice to have proof that she annoyed him as much as he annoyed her. Mephisto bared his sharp teeth at her, the mask slipping for a moment.  
"You think they'll stay my execution for your sake? As lovely as you are, hand me over and you'll be as dead as I am."  
That was another good point. Especially since she had no real idea if the Vatican even could break the curse. They might even decide that a sure-fire way to kill a Demon King was worth sacrificing an exorcist for. If Mephisto was right about anything, it was that it would be a shame for someone as pretty as her to die so young.

After a long moment of contemplation, Shura finally hopped off of the demon. The exorcist kept her dagger ready and was gratified to see a line of blood on his throat. Mephisto stood and straightened his ugly suit, keeping that vague annoying smile the whole time.  
"I'm not spendin' the rest of my life chained t'ya."  
Mephisto tugged at his cravat thoughtfully.  
"I have an… associate, who may be able to help. I'll have to call him tomorrow though, he'll be asleep by now and we need to get some sleep as well. The Vatican will be here in six hours and when they find that the box is a dummy we'll be in for a grilling…"  
Shura hated to do a single thing he said, but sleep sounded really good right about now. Mephisto knew he had her beat on this one, and struggled to control his smug grin as he ushered her gently towards the bedroom. The pair had butted heads since they first met, and even a petty victory felt pretty damn good.

Things went less smoothly when Shura realised there was only one bed.  
"Yer sleeping on the floor."  
Mephisto actually laughed.  
"I'm definitely not."  
Shura was on the verge of another fit of murderous rage, but Mephisto interrupted her. Suddenly he was much too close.  
"My lady, I hate to be crude but people are going to suspect something is wrong."  
His voice was soft and strangely seductive. Shura hated it.  
"These kinds of bonds are not unheard of and it will be considered proof, as you so charmingly put it, that I am a power-grabbing traitor. And then we are both dead. So we need a reason to be together at all times. Even if no one believes we must have an excuse, and one they can't prove is a lie."  
Shura snarled. "I feel like I'm not gonna like this."  
Mephisto gave her a charming smile and said, "How about, 'In my culture when a couple gets engaged they must be together at all times for two months, to prove that their commitment is strong.'"  
"Get stuffed." Shura said bluntly.  
"I'm open to any good suggestions, Miss Shura."  
Mephisto smiled like a bear trap and Shura just knew she'd lost this one. It was time for desperate measures.

In a second the exorcist let her body become supple and soft, and her eyes fill with tears. She let her hands fall gently on Mephisto's shoulders and her body press lightly against the demon's chest. Every inch the distressed maiden.  
"But I'll be a ruined woman if we share the same bed." She said with a convincing quiver in her voice.  
"A ruined woman." Mephisto said flatly.  
Shura batted her eyelashes and let a tear fall softly down her cheek. Mephisto didn't move a muscle but she could vaguely sense discord. Shura smothered a smile and instead pouted. You didn't need to be a mind reader to know Mephisto was torn between calling her a shitty liar and being a gentledemon.  
"Miss Shura, I will be most careful with your _reputation._" He was very carefully not sneering.  
"Unfortunately, when the Vatican sends spies snooping around, and they will, it will do them good to see we are a loving couple all the time."  
He said this with a tone that made it clear that the conversation was over and since there were so many ways to be, oh so painfully alive, Shura let it drop. Once the bond was broken, she'd kill the bastard herself and enjoy it.

Shura had to admit that the whole thing seemed like a lot less of a penance when she actually got into the massive plush bed. Royalty couldn't have better beds than this and she idly wondered if being this comfy was actually a sin.  
"Stick to yer own side and I won't have ta cut yer hand off." She said lazily.  
The plush bed was reminding her of how little sleep she'd really had lately, and the long chain gave her enough peace to let her eyes slip shut.  
She vaguely heard Mephisto snort. "Yes, because you've been _so _tempting today, my lady."  
Shura didn't even rise to the bait of his sarcasm, instead slipping into sleep.

* * *

Shura awoke in a pleasant haze. She had no idea how her bed had transformed into a cloud of comfort, but she wasn't going to complain. The exorcist rolled over and was surprised to bump into a warm, solid body. Shura's brow furrowed in mild confusion. Did she pull last night? Well she'd obviously done well enough, Shura could feel some pretty solid pecs under her hand. She opened her eyes lazily and memory hit her like an eighteen-wheeler. Emerald eyes stared down at her, pupils cat-slits of surprise.  
"Uh, good morning, Miss Shura."  
God he was _insufferable. _He acted like a put upon saint, but Shura could feel a curl of amusement and a hint of something else that made heat pool in the pit of her stomach. The exorcist recoiled as if she'd been slapped. However, the situation was, not to put too fine a point on it, her fault. So she pretended that it hadn't happened.  
"I need a shower." She said loudly.  
Mephisto gave the most long suffering sigh she'd ever heard before putting down his laptop. Shura caught a glimpse of a magical girl transformation before the screen went black. Maybe she'd at least be able to dip into the demon's massive anime stash while she was stuck with him.

Still sleepy, Shura followed Mephisto to the bathroom docilely enough. The sight of the lavish bathroom was enough to jolt her fully awake.  
"How fucking rich are you?!" she exclaimed.  
The bathroom was like something from a five star hotel that catered exclusively to royalty, world leaders and A-list celebrities. Shura nearly drooled from the sight of the massive bath, big enough to swim in and with Jacuzzi jets built into the sides. She'd have to get a bikini from somewhere and try that thing out. Tempting as it was to jump in right now, she didn't have swim clothes and there was no way she was skinny-dipping in front of her nemesis. Mephisto might pretend to be a gentledemon but he was still a demon. Almost as he sensed her thoughts, Shura heard a dark chuckle from behind her, much too close for comfort.  
"I wouldn't look…"  
The exorcist squared her shoulders and marched away from him towards the shower that took up the entire end of the room, ignoring the demon trailing behind her and the shivers running down her spine.

Shura studied the shower. The door was made up of _very transparent_ glass. Shura would just have to hope the hot water made it steam up quickly enough. There was a bench area inside well out of reach of the water where she could leave her clothes, but if she wanted to use it Mephisto would have to come in as well. Shura cursed the length of chain that bound them together. Even eight metres seemed too short. She glanced over her shoulder, and Mephisto was standing there looking way too innocent to be trusted. Shura looked back at the shower and realised with a sense of doom the shampoo and conditioner were also well out of reach.  
_Damn_. She thought.  
Eventually she turned and snapped at Mephisto, "You sit on that bench, you keep your mouth and eyes shut, and if you peek I will blind you."  
Mephisto looked affronted. "Miss Shura, as a gentledemon I give you my word."

* * *

He peeked. Of _course_ he peeked. Mephisto felt that she hadn't really given him a choice. Mephisto was happy to admit that the exorcist was a beautiful woman, and the brush of her thoughts, volcanic as they were, was oddly enticing. He'd kept his eyes shut while she was facing him, and the whisper of cloth over smooth skin as she'd gotten undressed was almost painfully erotic. He was only wearing a t-shirt and pyjama pants and when Shura turned away from him; he could feel the whisper of air against the bare skin of his arms. When the shower turned on, and a rush of steam filled the room, Mephisto cracked his eyes open and settled back to enjoy the view. The blasted exorcist was entirely responsible for them being stuck together, so he was going to appreciate the perks that came with this mess. He watched admiringly as Shura stepped under the spray of water, her creamy skin glistening seductively as she started to rub shampoo into her exotic hair. Mephisto shifted uncomfortably, pants tighter than he would like, as Shura tipped her head back and started to rinse her long locks. The angle made her butt look amazing. He'd obviously let his dry spell drag on too long, if he was already struggling to control his body just from the sight of a pretty woman. Lust was one of the deadly sins after all, and it did no good to let it build up. Mephisto watched with hazy desire as Shura pulled her hair to the side to start working in conditioner, unintentionally exposing the length of her back and the enticing swell of her curvy hips. Yes, he was going to enjoy the few perks of this generally rather terrible situation. Shura was a nosy, meddling witch, but she was hot as hell.

Shura _knew _he was looking. She could feel his desire like a coal in the pit of her stomach, or was it her own desire? It was getting hard to tell. Initially Shura pretended ignorance, simply because she knew as soon as she turned around he'd have his eyes shut like an innocent, and she was emotionally spent from her trying evening. Then he'd started to get horny, and that had muddled her own senses. The exorcist gritted her teeth against the warmth between her legs, trying not to imagine the wretched demon, Mephisto Pheles, coming up behind her and pushing her up against the wall, slipping his thick cock into her aching body. Shura gave up on that pointless task and instead focused on not audibly panting. It was tricky. The whole situation was messing with her head. She couldn't stand the slimy bastard, but in that steamy room, with the weight of his gaze on her back, she couldn't help the fantasy filled with claws, and fangs, and a wicked smile.

* * *

An hour later, dry and dressed, Shura felt much safer and suitably annoyed by Mephisto's very presence. She decided to chalk the whole tragic shower scenario up to magical bullshit and her own, fairly pathetic, dry spell. Mephisto was also back in his usual, hideous clown costume, which really helped bring a sense of normality to the whole abnormal affair.  
"We have an hour until we're supposed to greet the Vatican. Time to call in my expert." Mephisto said. Then he sighed. "Do try to behave."  
Shura filed that under 'deeply suspicious'. However, she only watched as Mephisto pulled out a jangling key ring, heavy with bronze and silver and gold, and plucked a small key from the tangle. He unlocked a large wardrobe and Shura glimpsed… A garden.  
"Come here, Amaimon."  
A second later, Shura found herself with two Demon Kings. Her sword was already halfway out of her chest.  
"Huh." Shura snorted, whipping her blade to the ready. "Ya really are a filthy traitor."

The King of the Earth didn't blink, even faced with her blade, he just stared at her with eyes like chips of ice. His presence was a physical weight in the room, and Shura shuddered to think that Mephisto was even stronger. Mephisto's smooth voice broke their staring match.  
"The bond was made with blood, which puts it as an earth magic. So if you could not stab my adorable baby brother, I would really appreciate it, my lady."  
Shura snorted rudely, but stepped back a little, sword still at the ready.  
"Tch, if he can break this damn thing, I'll give the bastard a kiss."  
Amaimon blinked at her. "I don't want a kiss from you, old lady."  
Mephisto tactfully intervened before the red mist could descend.  
"Amaimon, this lovely, _young_ lady and I are in a bit of a predicament." He jangled his wrist and Shura jumped when the rope of purple light shimmered into view.  
Amaimon sucked on a sweet for a long time, staring at them.  
"It looks like you're grounded, bro."  
Mephisto was struggling to hold together the mask of civility that he so rarely let slip. His smile was as polished as ever, but Shura could feel thunderclouds on the edge of her conscious.  
"Some new information would be lovely, dear brother." He said through gritted teeth.  
Shura laughed loudly. It was good to see someone other than herself needling the prick. Amaimon didn't laugh, but gave her a sideways look that Shura was _sure _contained a tiny sparkle of mischief.

The strange, green King returned his attention to his brother.  
"I can undo the seal, I guess. But it's not easy, bro. I don't have the ingredients."  
Mephisto look physically pained.  
"I thought your magic garden had _everything, _brother_._"  
How Amaimon managed to look both expressionless and affronted would forever be a mystery to Shura, but she kept quiet, gathering as much information as she could while they seemed to have forgotten her.  
"It does, _brother._ I have the right _kind_ of plant. _But, to break the seal, that kind of Gehenna plant has to be grown here in Assiah. From a seed to when it flowers at the first full moon.__"_  
Mephisto looked more cheerful. "Well, I suppose a month isn't too bad. I was expecting it to be much harder."  
Amaimon scratched his chin idly, staring at the ceiling.  
"Naw, I dunno how to grow plants here. Could take years."

Shura stared at the bickering pair. Though really it was Mephisto bickering at Amaimon who didn't seem to give a shit. The exorcist had an idea that could help… but she felt like she was leading a sacrificial lamb to slaughter. Ah, well it would probably be fine.  
"Moriyama Shiemi likes gardening. She's got that weird little green dude as a familiar as well." She said.  
The two demons were looking at her now, Mephisto pensively and Amaimon with his usual blank stare.  
Shura sneered. "Remember your _wife." _  
The exorcist fancied she saw something flicker in those strange eyes. Mephisto nodded.  
"What a wonderful idea, Miss Shura." He winked at her, back to his quirky self. "We'll be back to our normal lives in a jiffy. Amaimon. Get on it."  
The demon nodded at his elder brother, knowing when not to challenge him, and turned to leave.  
"Yo."  
Amaimon hesitated, looking back at the mouthy exorcist.  
"Hurt one of my students and I'll amputate."  
Shura gestured threateningly at his backside. Both demons felt a shiver run down their spines to the tips of their _extremely sensitive _tails. Mephisto shuddered at the thought.  
_What a crazy woman. _

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed! I know there was a bit of a wait, but hopefully it was worth it lol. Chapter full of my favourite clichés!


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